


Never Have I Ever Met Idiots Like These Two

by MiaBrown



Series: this whole damn city thinks it needs you (but not as much as I do) [2]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Crack, Drinking & Talking, Drinking Games, F/M, Friendship, Humor, Identity Reveal, idiots to lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-01
Updated: 2020-09-01
Packaged: 2021-03-06 14:48:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,476
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26240653
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MiaBrown/pseuds/MiaBrown
Summary: It was just a casual hangout between six friends. Or that’s what Marinette thought it would be. How was she supposed to know that the others would want to play the most dangerous game to ever exist? The game that had the potential to end a girl’s whole career. But most of all, how was she supposed to anticipate that her ex would have the audacity to declare “Never have I ever had a crush on Marinette”, and drink to it?
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Alya Césaire/Nino Lahiffe, Luka Couffaine/Kagami Tsurugi
Series: this whole damn city thinks it needs you (but not as much as I do) [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2056482
Comments: 30
Kudos: 333
Collections: September 2020 - Fulfill A Prompt





	Never Have I Ever Met Idiots Like These Two

**Author's Note:**

  * For [InkyCoffee](https://archiveofourown.org/users/InkyCoffee/gifts).



> Thank you so much to [Khanofallorcs](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Khanofallorcs/pseuds/Khanofallorcs) for beta reading and to [Lou](https://archiveofourown.org/users/InkyCoffee/pseuds/InkyCoffee) for submitting the prompt and answering my emerging questions along the way!

It all started as a normal hangout, you see. They all gathered on the _Liberty_ as they did regularly on Fridays, back in the days when Luka and Kagami were dating Marinette and Adrien, not each other. Sure, maybe some would have considered hanging out with your ex like this strange or uncomfortable, but they had all parted on friendly terms and as they did, there was really not a good reason to stop the gatherings. 

In the beginning, Marinette had thought that seeing Luka with someone else would hurt. That it would make her feel lonely or even jealous. However, seeing the genuine, adoring looks he exchanged with Kagami, she couldn’t bring herself to mind. Their happiness was the most important thing, and they couldn’t find it next to her and Adrien. So letting go and searching for new ways to live their lives was the sensible thing to do for all of them. Not to mention how, in the end, she wasn’t as over the blond boy as she wished she was. 

Because you see, her affection towards Adrien changed in intensity over time, hitting its all time low during the months she was dating Luka, but it had never really vanished. It was a constant state that became an integral part of her personality. If she met new people and they asked what she was like, she could have described herself as an aspiring fashion designer, who — apart from being Ladybug, the superheroine of Paris — was irrevocably in love with Adrien Agreste. However, two of these characteristics were rather personal, not to mention secret, so she stuck with the first one. 

But being in love with the boy as she was, was alright. She didn’t chase after him like she had done in lycée. She loved him in secret, from the bench beside the football pitch. It wasn’t prominent, but she was there, offering her unwavering support anytime he needed it. She was content with being his very good friend. She accepted that this was how her life was going to be and tried to make peace with it. 

So that was how the four of them, joined by Alya’s and Nino’s duo, planned to spend yet another calm night, sitting on the houseboat chatting, singing along to Luka’s songs and gazing at the stars that decorated the magnificent Parisian night sky. Or that was how Marinette had thought the night was going to go. That was, until Alya arrived, swinging a bottle of hard liquor in hand, and declaring excitedly, “It’s game night, girl!” 

Marinette should have seen by the mischievous side-looks and stiffened giggles that nothing remotely funny was going to come out of this game for her. But she had always been too permissive, always giving the benefit of the doubt to her friends in such matters. And the first few rounds of the game proved her trusting self right. There was nothing strange about the way Kagami stated ‘never have I ever been at a sleepover’ or the way Nino declared ‘never have I ever ran into the arms of unnecessary danger‘, while staring at Alya accusingly. 

However, after a couple of rounds, when everyone had had a few drinks and the laughter was louder and the jokes harsher, Luka exchanged a smirk with his girlfriend sitting cuddled up next to him. That was the look that — in hindsight — marked the end of Marinette’s life as she currently knew it. 

“Never have I ever had a crush on Marinette,” Luka said nonchalantly and swung down his drink in one smooth movement. Marinette stared at him with wide eyes, her mouth hanging open in disbelief at his audacity. 

Alya and Nino smiled at each other and clinked their glasses before both of them emptied them. Marinette felt the blood running into her cheeks. However, the worst was yet to come. 

Kagami just shrugged and drank her shot. Marinette wouldn’t have been very surprised if flames had consumed her on the spot due to sheer mortification. 

But the gang didn’t even look at the flushing, gaping, stuttering mess, who on her better days was known as Marinette. They all turned to the last person in the circle as one. 

Adrien sat in his place at Marinette’s right side, undisturbed by the stares, and smiled naively at the others. Everyone could see that he had no intention of bringing the glass to his mouth. 

“Dude, chug it!” Nino elbowed him between his ribs. 

“What? But I don’t have a crush on Marinette!” he protested, totally flabbergasted by the suggestive gazes pointed at him. 

“Of course, he doesn’t, there’s no need to-” Marinette tried but Nino cut in.

“Dude, you must have had at least a little crush on her at some point,” the boy argued but Adrien only shook his head apologetically. 

Nino trying to convince Adrien that he unknowingly considered her a love interest had to be the end of her life, Marinette was sure of it. She couldn't bear the embarrassment anymore. She tried to hide behind her glass and drink from it innocently, pretending that this wasn’t really happening. That her life wasn’t falling to pieces just before her eyes.

“You literally called her an everyday Ladybug once! You compare her to the love of your life and say that you don’t like her like that?”

Marinette spat out her sip, coating the deck with drops of the alcoholic beverage.

“Come again?” she managed to choke out.

The others looked at her with befuddled expressions, but Alya readily turned to explain, “Back in lycée, that one time in the park-”

“Not that part, I remember that.” 

How could she forget that night? She had simultaneously been over the top with happiness from his praise and worried half to death, fearing that the boy might be onto her secret identity. 

“Compare you to the love of his life?” Kagami helped out, looking at her blushing ex with a small smirk. 

Marinette blinked and mouthed a soft ‘what?’ while trying to make sense of the situation internally. Could it be that Adrien loved her? Just not the side of her that he should have? Not the side that he had actually, meaningfully interacted with on a daily basis, and not only met for a few moments during akuma attacks? 

“Oh, come on Mari, don’t tell me you didn’t know _that_ ,” Luka laughed. “It’s just as obvious as your thing.”

“What thing?” Adrien asked timidly but Marinette didn’t leave time to elaborate. 

“How can you love Ladybug? You don’t even know her,” she pointed out the obvious fact.

“We’ve met... a couple of times,” Adrien said reluctantly, trying to avoid the topic but there was no going back. 

“So you met her a handful of times and claim to be in love with her? That sure sounds legit,” Marinette snapped, angry at the situation. 

It was evident that Adrien couldn’t really be in love with Ladybug. He didn’t even know her! If he did, he would have figured out long ago that it was really Marinette and would have drunk up that stupid shot and would have asked her out on a stupid date long before! But none of that was even remotely close to reality so what Adrien thought he loved about the superheroine must have been his own idealized picture of her. 

“Hey, no need to get all jealous over Ladybug, girl. She’s a superheroine, it’s only natural that everybody loves her. You don’t need to compete with her,” Alya said soothingly. 

“Really? Well, superhero or not, I don’t think she’s that awesome! She’s just a regular human like any of us. She’s hasty and stupid sometimes, and the only reason why you all think she’s so perfect is because Chat Noir is always there for her to cover up the mistakes she makes!” Marinette hollered, fed up with her friends for their shortsightedness. 

“Is that really what you think of her? I’m sorry Marinette but it’s crystal clear that your judgement is biased, because you couldn’t be any farther from the truth,” Adrien huffed. 

“You think you know her better than _I_ do?” Marinette was already on her feet, balancing her drink in one hand while pointing an accusing finger at the love of her life with the other. “Then please, do tell me! What’s so great about her?!” she continued, enraged by the audacity to call her judgement about herself biased.

“You want to know why she is the most remarkable person to walk the Earth? Okay, so be it,” Adrien hollered back, jumping to his feet himself. He looked Marinette in the eye with a piercing stare. “For one, she has the best plans! Have you seen the one they used to defeat Backwarder? If that isn’t epic I don't know what is. She’s the cleverest person I know!” he declared angirly, pink blushes coloring his cheeks as he orated in ecstasy. “For another, she is also the kindest, most caring, most responsible human in all of Paris! Sure, she drives me crazy with that sometimes but in reality, I really admire her commitment!” 

Marinette opened her mouth to retort with a witty comeback but her words abandoned her. She stood there shell shocked, with a flaming face, gaping at Adrien. Overpowered by the sheer intensity and genuineness of his speech, the only thing she could say was, “And how do you know all of that?”

“Um… I...” the boy flushed an even deeper red himself, before blurting out. “I worked with her once! Yes, that is it! She gave me the Snake Miraculous before Luka.”

“Uh-huh. Well, she gave me the Mouse once, so we both know her equally well,” Marinette pouted dismissively, crossing her arms over her chest. “I still hold my ground. She isn’t extraordinary. If it weren’t for Chat’s support and devotion, she’d be a nobody. I actually think that-”

“You met her for like what? _Two minutes_ before blowing your cover?! You have no right to judge her based on that!” Adrien fulminated. 

“That’s true but...” Marinette knew he was right. But… “How do YOU know that?”

The air froze between the two of them. So did Adrien. Like a _cat_ caught in the headlights. That was the moment when all the inside information, the ‘love of my life’ shenanigans, the aggressive protectiveness of Ladybug snapped into place. 

“Of course it’s you, you mangy cat,” Marinette burst out laughing, throwing her hands in the air. “Who else would protect that clumsy bug so viciously.” 

“I mean, anyone who has a little-’ Adrien started but cut himself off to blink at her, more confused than angry. “What did you just say?” 

Marinette leaned in and, instinctively, he did too. “I speak about her as I see fit, kitty cat,” she whispered, placing her index finger on the boy’s nose and pushing him away.

“But I’ve seen you together… You can’t be...” he stammered, paling as he was trying to connect the dots. 

“Didn’t you say something about my brilliant plans just a few minutes ago?” Marinette smirked at him, letting her confidence that was usually reserved for her superhero persona shine through. 

“My Lady?” Adrien looked her in the eye with disbelief, that swiftly turned into realization and astonishment. “Oh my god, Nino was right! I’m an idiot!” he exclaimed before reaching for his drink and chugging it down in one gulp. 

“Heh, I guess this means it’s my turn,” Marinette laughed sheepishly before hardening her grip on her drink and blurting out. “Never have I ever had the biggest crush on Adrien Agreste since the day we met, and told my very platonic crime-fighting partner that I can’t reciprocate his feelings because I was in love with his civilian identity!” 

Adrien watched in awe and with a goofy grin on his face as Marinette drank up her whole glass. Lowering the glass she stepped closer to him with a similar smile and tentatively stretched out her empty hand. Adrien didn’t hesitate; he intertwined his fingers with hers and pulled her closer to press an adoring, sweet kiss on her lips that made her insides flutter with warmth. Marinette smiled against his lips and felt perfectly content with how this game turned out in the end. 

“Never have I ever met idiots like these two,” Alya laughed, disturbing the moment and making Marinette realize that they weren’t, in fact, alone in the whole world, as it had felt like just a second ago. She pulled away from Adrien but didn’t let go of his hand as they faced their gleeful friends.

Alya, along with Luka and Kagami, didn’t even have a glass in hand; they were so sure that they didn’t need to take a sip at that statement. 

“Sorry to burst your bubble, babe, but I think you should drink,” Nino interjected with an apologetic expression.

“Who do you think can rival these dorks?” his girlfriend asked, furrowing her eyebrows in befuddlement. 

“Isn’t it obvious?” Nino asked, rolling his eyes. “It’s Ladybug and Chat Noir!”

The burst of laughing spread like a disease, until it got a hold of Marinette and Adrien too, and they were laughing at themselves (all four of them) with their friends until their sides hurt. 

“Seriously though, aren’t you the tiniest bit surprised?” Marinette questioned, wiping down her tears. “Paris’ famous superhero duo standing before your eyes and all.” 

To tell the truth, she was a little offended by their reactions. Okay, they were also heroes who worked with Ladybug and Chat Noir at the time, but she would have expected a little more excitement and swooning on her friends’ part. 

“Mari, you thought, after dating you for months, we wouldn’t figure it out?” Luka looked her in the eyes with his eyebrows raised skeptically. 

“Well, I mean...” 

“Actually I’m kind of sorry you figured it all out so soon,” Alya chimed in, pouting. “The next step of ‘Mission: Make Love-Square Happen’ would have been a round for ‘never have I ever been a superhero before’.”

“It would have been hilarious! Adrien has the lamest excuses,” Kagami agreed, taking a victorious sip from her drink.

“I’m sure they aren’t as bad as Marinette’s,” Luka went on teasingly. “One time she forgot to hang up the phone before transforming and spent the next ten minutes explaining how her mannequin, that she was going to sew _spots on_ , is called Tikki.”

Marinette felt her face flush again in full intensity but looking at her hysterically laughing friends she couldn’t deny, secret keeping really took a toll on her. 

Who knew, maybe with her secret identity out in the open, she’d finally have the brainpower to actually plot against Hawkmoth, not just hope that his attacks would miraculously stop. It was definitely an approach she has never ever tried before. 

**Author's Note:**

> I'd like to be that funny but sadly the _spots on_ joke isn't mine. It's from [this](https://amyahue.tumblr.com/post/189178439159/dont-bully-me-i-know-she-has-to-say-tikki-spots-on) mini-comic on Tumblr!
> 
> If you are interested in reading or writing fanfiction and you are looking for a community of like-minded and supportive people, come and join the [Miraculous Fanworks Discord](https://discord.gg/mlfanworks) server!  
> You'll also have a chance to read a million of these brilliant prompts and to participate in events, such as this one.
> 
> Oh, and if you aren't fed up with all the links yet, you can find me on [Tumblr](https://miabrown007.tumblr.com/) too!


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